1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cash register, more particularly, a cash register which is capable of performing a temporary-closing operation while keeping a transaction open.
2. Background of the Invention
The inventors of the present invention know of an electronic cash register which is arranged to have a key operation process as shown in the flow chart of FIG. 1. (Prior Art)
Referring to FIG. 1, the key operation of the above-mentioned electronic cash register will be described in detail.
At step a1, a user (operator) presses any one of the registering key, the cash key, the trust-selling key, the credit-sale key, and the temporary-closing key. In the case that the price of the goods sold is paid once, at steps a1 and a2, the user selectively presses the registering key, the cash key, the trust-selling key, the credit-sale key and the temporary-closing key for inputting a kind of payment such as a cash payment, a trust-selling payment or a credit-sale payment, the grouping departments of the goods sold and the amount of payment.
In succession to the operation of the registering key, any one of the cash key, the trust-selling key, the credit-sale key and the temporary-closing key may be selectively pressed. If at step a2, any one of the above-mentioned keys except the registering key is pressed, at step a3, it is determined whether or not the amount of payment done by negotiable securities such as commodity securities and a credit card reaches the total price of the sold goods. If yes, the transaction is terminated and a receipt is issued.
If no at step a3, on the other hand, it is possible to temporarily close the transaction and issue the receipt as the transaction is left open. In this case, the temporary-closing key is pressed at step a1. With this operation, the sum of the contents of payments and the issuance of the receipt based on the sum are carried out as a temporary-closing process. The temporary-closing process does not require the pressing of the cash key but requires the pressing of another key for terminating of the transaction.
If yes at step a3 and the registering process is on the way, the process goes to step a4 for doing the later registering process. At step a4, any one of the above-mentioned keys may be selectively pressed. With some key being pressed, the registering operation is over and the receipt is issued. At step a4, if the amount of payment is not enough to reach the total price at step a3, the operation of the temporary-closing key is prohibited as described below.
That is, when the process reaches step a4 through step a3, all keys except the registering keys are operable if the amount of payment is equal to the price or nothing is paid. If the registering key is pressed at step a4, then at step a5, any one of the above-mentioned keys may be selectively pressed. With some key being pressed, the process goes to step a6 at which it is determined whether or not the amount of payment is enough to reach the exact price. If yes, the total price of the sold goods is paid at steps a4 and a5, the registering operation is terminated and a receipt is issued. If yes at step a6, the process goes to step a4 at which the foregoing process is repeated.
In a case where part of the price is paid as earnest money at steps a1, a2 and/or a3, the earnest money is input by pressing the registering key at steps a1 and/or a2. This means that the shortage of earnest money takes place at step a3. In this state, the temporary-closing key is disallowable to be pressed at subsequent steps a4 and a5. If part of the total sum is paid as earnest money and the remaining cash is paid later, the temporary-closing process is carried out when the remaining cash is paid. Thus, no receipt cannot be issued.
FIG. 2 is a flow chart showing the registering operation of the above-mentioned cash register.
At step b1, department codes (items) for the sold goods, for example, are registered. At step b2, the payment is given for the goods and the amount of money is registered by pressing the registering key. After step b3, the temporary-closing process is proceeded. At step b3, any one of the cash key, the trust-selling key, the credit-sale key and/or the temporary-closing key may be selectively pressed.
With any one of the above-mentioned keys being selected, the process goes to step b4 at which it is determined whether or not the amount of payment is enough to reach the total price for the sold goods. If not, the process goes to step b3 at which the foregoing process is repeated. If yes at step b4, the process goes to step b5 at which the payment for the sold goods is over and the process is terminated.
If the temporary-closing key is selected at step b3, the process goes to step b6 at which it is determined whether or not the amount of payment has been already enough to reach the total price of the sold goods before pressing the temporary-closing key. If yes at step b6, the process goes to step b5 at which the registered contents are gathered and the receipt is issued. Then, the process is terminated. If no at step b6, the process goes to step b7 at which an alarm, such as a beep, is issued.
As described above, the above-mentioned cash register is arranged so that the user cannot handle the temporary-closing key after a part of the total sum is paid for example, as earnest money. This means that if a customer buying goods, pays for only part of the price of the goods sold as earnest money and pays for the remaining price later, the temporary-closing operation is disallowed. Hence, the above-mentioned cash register has a low usability.
The above-mentioned cash register is so arranged that when a customer pays for the price of the sold goods there exist two choices: the payment for the sold goods may be given in full or no payment is done. Hence, it is difficult to use the cash register at all times, when the user needs to use it.
To overcome the foregoing two shortcomings, for example, it is possible to employ a method whereby a credit card may be inserted into the cash register and the "trust-selling" process is carried out by pressing the "trust-selling" key. In such a case, a new shortcoming takes place wherein the total amount of the money stored by the cash register itself (i.e., in memory) is not equal to the amount of money actually placed in a drawer of the cash register.
As described above, the above-mentioned cash register is not able to perform the process of accepting earnest money corresponding to a part of the price of the goods sold, due to the temporary-closing process when the remaining money is paid later, and issue the receipt. The disability means that the cash register has a low usability.